At just 23 years old, Julie Blakstad has already traversed the highs and lows of professional football, with her latest chapter unfolding in the Women’s Champions League as a key player for Sweden’s Hammarby. After scoring crucial goals to secure Hammarby’s spot in the group stage, Blakstad is now set to face her former club, Manchester City, in a high-stakes clash. Speaking candidly, the Norwegian winger reflected on her passion for playing against the world’s best, a dream that drew her to Hammarby for the chance to shine on Europe’s biggest stage. With the fervent support of Hammarby’s passionate fans and the guidance of her former Norway coach Martin Sjoegren, Blakstad embraces the challenge of competing at the sport’s highest level.
Blakstad’s football career began in her native Norway, where her remarkable left foot, endurance, and strength propelled her to stardom as a teenager. A trailblazer at Rosenborg, she scored the team’s first-ever goal in the Norwegian top-flight before her talent earned her a high-profile transfer to Manchester City for a reported €196,000. While her time at City included valuable experience training alongside elite players, limited game time and a crushing 8-0 defeat by England at Euro 2022 tested her resilience. Though disappointed by her stint at City, Blakstad sees it as a learning curve, one that ultimately prepared her for her current success with 30 caps for Norway and a central role at Hammarby.
Despite enduring heavy losses against top-tier teams like England and Barcelona, Blakstad remains undeterred, using these moments to grow as a player. A 9-0 defeat to Barcelona underscored the difficulty of facing Europe’s best, but Hammarby’s ability to regroup was evident in their 2-0 loss to Manchester City, where they showed defensive improvement and created chances. Now, with the electrifying atmosphere of their home fans driving them forward, Blakstad is optimistic about their potential to achieve a strong result in the return leg. For the young star, each setback is a stepping stone toward mastering the game and showcasing her talents on the grandest of stages.
